12/8 metronome
12/8 has four dotted-quarter beats per bar, each divided into three eighths. It is the meter of the slow blues, shuffles, doo-wop ballads, many gospel songs and some Afro-Cuban and West African rhythms.
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How to count 12/8
Count "1-la-li 2-la-li 3-la-li 4-la-li", or "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12" at slow tempos. It feels like 4/4 with every beat played as a triplet.
Metronome settings for 12/8
- For a slow blues, set 4 beats per bar with triplet subdivisions at 50–70 BPM.
- Accent the first of every three eighths (grouping 3+3+3+3).
- Compare with 4/4 at 67% swing — it is a close cousin of the shuffle feel.
Accent groupings for 12/8
The metronome offers these groupings for 12 beats; the first beat of each group is accented: 3+3+3+3, 2+2+2+2+2+2, 2+2+2+3+3, 2+2+3+2+3, 2+3+2+2+3, 3+2+2+2+3, 2+2+3+3+2, 2+3+2+3+2.
Other time signatures
- 2/4simple duple
- 3/4simple triple
- 4/4simple quadruple
- 5/4irregular (odd)
- 6/8compound duple
- 7/8irregular (odd)
- 9/8compound triple
New to meters? Read time signatures explained.
FAQ
How do you count 12/8 time?
Count "1-la-li 2-la-li 3-la-li 4-la-li", or "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12" at slow tempos. It feels like 4/4 with every beat played as a triplet.
How do I set a metronome for 12/8?
Set 12 beats per bar with a eighth-note beat and choose the 3+3+3+3 accent grouping. This page is already set up that way at 180 BPM; the BPM counts eighth notes.
What kind of meter is 12/8?
12/8 is a compound quadruple meter: 12 eighth notes per bar.